· News, CSR and the Environment
Bukit Asam Bamboo for Life Program to End Skewers Imports
Lampung, July 25, 2022 - PT Bukit Asam Tbk (PTBA) Tarahan Port Unit has been assisting and developing the production of skewers in Sidomulyo Village since 2018. In collaboration with Paguyuban Krajan, the production of skewers involves the senior citizens and other vulnerable groups such as widows, disabled people, and poor households. Currently, there are 23 skewers production groups with 129 empowered members and 651 beneficiaries.
The head of the Krajan Association, Samadi, said that the skewer production development helped overcome the unemployment problem in Sidomulyo Village. Each member of the skewer production group can earn Rp1.2 million per month from this business.
"The skewers production can reach 5 kg per person each day with price of Rp8,000 per kg, so they can get Rp1.2 million income per month. This is only a part-time job and can be done in spare time," said Samadi (49) in the E2S Proving League 2022 Webinar with the theme CSR Collaborations: Building Community Resilience and Local Livehoods Generations on Saturday (July 23, 2022).
The skewers production development program started due to his concern about Indonesia's dependence on imported skewers. Samadi targets to involve 1,000 elderly people this year so that skewers demand can be met from domestic production.
"It is sad that each month we must import 4 containers with 27 tons skewers each for Jakarta and Surabaya needs. To meet the domestic production target, in 2022 we have been empowering one thousand senior citizens. If each person can produce 5 kg of skewers, then it would be 5 tons per day, meaning domestic needs can be fulfilled," he said.
He showed his appreciation to Bukit Asam’s full support on this program that has successfully create new business opportunities for people in Sidomulyo village. "We consider Bukit Asam Pelabuhan Tarahan as parents who have made our dreams come true by increasing the income of vulnerable groups, preparing independent workshops and the central market," said Samadi.
The empowered community also shares their profits from the sale of the skewers for charity activities. Every month, Rp6-8 million from the profit is given to TPQ Mutiara Ummat Insani that takes care of 37 students.
General Manager of HR and CSR of PTBA Tarahan Port Unit, Hamdani, on the same occasion expressed his support by saying that the synergy between stakeholders is very important to end the skewers import.
"To achieve the target of domestic skewer production, PTBA collaborates with the government, practitioners, and the community," said Hamdani.
The development of skewer production is part of Bukit Asam’s Bamboo for Life Program since 2014 in the Tarahan Port area, which then expanded to various areas around the company. The bamboo planting is aimed at restoring arid land. "There have been 13,624 bamboo trees on an area of 49 hectares (ha) planted by PTBA cumulatively in various areas in Lampung Province. Carbon absorption reaches 3,509 tons of CO2e per year," he said.
Not only environmental conservation, the Bamboo for Life Program also benefits the community. Since 2018, PTBA Tarahan Port Unit has been helping the community to downstream bamboo. Besides skewers, bamboo is also processed into bamboo vinegar with various derivative products such as liquid organic fertilizer, hand sanitizer, bamboo vinegar herbal medicine, and disinfectant.
The Bamboo for Life program has earned PTBA the Gold PROPER award in 2020 and 2021.
The head of the Krajan Association, Samadi, said that the skewer production development helped overcome the unemployment problem in Sidomulyo Village. Each member of the skewer production group can earn Rp1.2 million per month from this business.
"The skewers production can reach 5 kg per person each day with price of Rp8,000 per kg, so they can get Rp1.2 million income per month. This is only a part-time job and can be done in spare time," said Samadi (49) in the E2S Proving League 2022 Webinar with the theme CSR Collaborations: Building Community Resilience and Local Livehoods Generations on Saturday (July 23, 2022).
The skewers production development program started due to his concern about Indonesia's dependence on imported skewers. Samadi targets to involve 1,000 elderly people this year so that skewers demand can be met from domestic production.
"It is sad that each month we must import 4 containers with 27 tons skewers each for Jakarta and Surabaya needs. To meet the domestic production target, in 2022 we have been empowering one thousand senior citizens. If each person can produce 5 kg of skewers, then it would be 5 tons per day, meaning domestic needs can be fulfilled," he said.
He showed his appreciation to Bukit Asam’s full support on this program that has successfully create new business opportunities for people in Sidomulyo village. "We consider Bukit Asam Pelabuhan Tarahan as parents who have made our dreams come true by increasing the income of vulnerable groups, preparing independent workshops and the central market," said Samadi.
The empowered community also shares their profits from the sale of the skewers for charity activities. Every month, Rp6-8 million from the profit is given to TPQ Mutiara Ummat Insani that takes care of 37 students.
General Manager of HR and CSR of PTBA Tarahan Port Unit, Hamdani, on the same occasion expressed his support by saying that the synergy between stakeholders is very important to end the skewers import.
"To achieve the target of domestic skewer production, PTBA collaborates with the government, practitioners, and the community," said Hamdani.
The development of skewer production is part of Bukit Asam’s Bamboo for Life Program since 2014 in the Tarahan Port area, which then expanded to various areas around the company. The bamboo planting is aimed at restoring arid land. "There have been 13,624 bamboo trees on an area of 49 hectares (ha) planted by PTBA cumulatively in various areas in Lampung Province. Carbon absorption reaches 3,509 tons of CO2e per year," he said.
Not only environmental conservation, the Bamboo for Life Program also benefits the community. Since 2018, PTBA Tarahan Port Unit has been helping the community to downstream bamboo. Besides skewers, bamboo is also processed into bamboo vinegar with various derivative products such as liquid organic fertilizer, hand sanitizer, bamboo vinegar herbal medicine, and disinfectant.
The Bamboo for Life program has earned PTBA the Gold PROPER award in 2020 and 2021.
